Genevieve's Story (Freedom, Colorado Book #2 )

Chapter 1

Genevieve's story

Chapter 1

"Bee!"

I turned quickly, so lost in thought I was startled by my own name.

Genevieve Bee Brown.

My mother named me herself, and long before she died she started having everyone call me Bee. She was a wild woman, making her the complete opposite of me. While her hair was curly, mine was straight. Her legs went on forever, mine barely had me at 5'3. She was loud- I was well, not. Not at all. Yet somehow I seemed to attract the loud, beautiful women in my life.

Speaking of...

"Bee!" Again my name was called, this time causing my cheeks to burn crimson as I twirled again, coming nose to nose with my best friend Josie Lee Walker.

"You want the whole dang town to know I'm back?" I scowled at her, although my grin told her I wasn't at all angry.

"Oh Beeeeee!" She rang again, rolling her eyes at me. Suddenly my friend of 20 years - we met in kindergarten-wrapped her slender arms around me and hugged me tight. "I missed you."

That time she whispered, and I didn't miss the slight hiccup of emotion as she said it.

Wrapping my arms even tighter around her, I gave her an extra squeeze before letting her go.

"I missed you more Josie." My throat clogged with emotion, and it took us both a few minutes to gather ourselves.

Briefly I took a moment to look around while I let myself relax. The bus I arrived on was long gone. It was only Josie and I standing by the bus stop bench. The bus ride from Denver airport felt just as long as the flight from Sacramento, CA. I certainly would miss a few things about the State University and it's town but I am more than ready to be back home. Despite everything.

Freedom, Colorado was just how I remembered it. Main street was well kept but small. Each block had many locally owned businesses, and the town square could be seen no matter what side of town you were in. When you looked up, you were blessed with the mountain views of Colorful Colorado.

I missed it here.

"Josie.." A deep voice drawled, taking my gaze away from what was all around me. A tall cowboy came prowling across the street. His stenson was low, almost covering his eyes. He wore a denim button up, rolled up his large arms. His jeans were just as dirty as his cowboy boots. "You know better than to run across the damn street without looking both ways."

If I didn't know the man walking towards me I would have said he was bossy. Maybe a little too alpha male. But I knew that he was just a teddy bear. A teddy bear who loved and cherished my best friend.

Laughing out loud, which was something I haven't done in a while, I realized that Josie must have recklessly ran towards the bus while I was getting off.

"You're in trouble." I told her, tongue in cheek.

Without looking back towards him, Josie winked and flung her blonde hair over her shoulder, showing her sass. "What ya gonna do, spank me?"

Biting my cheek to keep from laughing more at my friend, I watched as her big hunk of a man Mike slipped a well muscled arm around his wife. "You bet."

"You guys are gross." I teased, lifting my duffle back over my shoulder. Being with Josie already proved I made the right choice coming back to my hometown. She was always the one to make things better. She did when my dad passed. Then did it all again, helping me through my mom's sickness and eventually her death.